Organization name:

School for International Training: Professional Development, Workshops, and Certificate Programs

Web site:

http://www.sit.edu/graduate/5200.htm

Where are they working? (country/region)

They are based in Brattleboro, Vermont, but operate programs internationally.

What professional development programs related to peace education do they offer? (program names, content):

International Education Workshops

Recent workshops include:

• Mental Health Issues Affecting Study Abroad and International Students

• Fostering Global Citizenship in Higher Education: One Piece of the Internationalization Puzzle

• Introduction to Policy Advocacy

• Exploring Language and Culture: A Practical Approach

• Training Design for International Educators

These courses are generally offered for one credit either online, on campus in Vermont, or a combination of the two. They are open to all professionals in the International Education field.

The Center for Dialogue

Recent courses include:

Skills and Topics in Conflict Transformation: Facilitating Structured Dialogue for Youth (http://www.sit.edu/graduate/18928.htm)

According to the website, this course “addresses why and how structured dialogue is used in youth peacebuilding and leadership programs to deepen communication and raise awareness of self, others, and social issues. It assesses how issue-oriented peer dialogue strengthens a youth program and impacts young people through learning about other people and cultures, and developing interpersonal and intercultural communication skills.” This weekend course is offered for one credit and includes course readings, peer assessment, and a self-reflection paper. It is recommended for schools, youth groups, and peace and social change NGOs.

The Way of Council

( http://www.sit.edu/graduate/19563.htm--bottom of page)

According to the website, “The Council process encourages community building, conflict exploration and resolution, the sharing of personal and cultural stories, and collective and non-hierarchical decision-making in a supportive and compassionate environment.” This two-day workshop can be taken for one graduate credit. They recommend the course for “educators, counselors, business leaders, youth workers, and peace and social change activists.”

Teacher Training and Professional Development Institute (http://www.sit.edu/graduate/5195.htm)

These courses are offered for educators who are taking on roles as teacher trainers or supervisors. Some courses take place at the SIT campus in Vermont, and some are offered online only. In order to receive a Teacher Trainer Certificate, at least one of the six courses required for the certificate must be taken on campus. Current courses include:

• Supervision: An Educative Process

• Feedback: A Window into Understanding

• Researching Cultural Questions

What are their best practices? What can we learn from them?

1. Short workshops

Most of these workshops are short--two or three days--which allows for an intensive experience and is likely to be convenient for a variety of schedules.

2. Courses and workshops for educators in different contexts/for different age groups

These workshops and courses focus not only on skills and development useful for traditional classroom teachers, but also for educators in other non-formal and non-traditional contexts, and for teacher educators as well. Many of the courses are relevant for educators and others across fields, cultures, locations, age groups, and subject areas. In addition to these broad-themed courses, however, there are also those that focus on more narrow areas of interest, such as the International Education workshops, that address themes that may be of particular importance to certain populations or professional areas.

Do they charge for their services? If so, how much?

Tuition for one-credit workshops is $746. Teacher Training and Professional Development courses are $400. Both Center for Dialogue workshops (The Way of Council and Facilitating Structured Dialogue for Youth) are $500.